In the future, following a global nuclear war, this rather dark-humored, male-oriented film spins the story of a young man and a telepathic dog with a talented nose, who rely on each other for survival in a harsh environment; hunting for food wherever they can get it, and always looking for a female for Albert to have some sexual fun with. Difficult choices face their friendship when Albert finally finds a female on his own, and they have a lot of fun. However it turns into a trap, which isn't fun at all, as Albert finds himself abused for a quality which comes from his biological functions.

A BOY AND HIS DOG features action, comedy, and a little romance.
A young Don Johnson delivers a strong performance. Tim McIntire has
fun as the voice of a telepathic dog. Director of Photography, John
Arthur Morrill, delivers potent screen images of the devastated landscape.

Albert, a young man, and Blood, his telepathic dog,
struggle for survival in a post-nuclear future. Blood uses his talented
nose to try and sniff up a woman for Albert, but can't.

Some human scavengers show up and dig up canned goods out of the
ground. Albert runs up and steals a bunch of cans and they enjoy
a big meal. Blood senses a female and they go underground in search
of the female. Albert and the woman make love many times.

Albert decides to go to an underground city named Topeka with the
woman, leaving Blood behind. Weird people have lured him there to
impregnate the girls since the local guys are sterile. After escaping
to the surface with the girl, Albert finds Blood, who is starving.
They enjoy a big meal of a surprising and shocking nature.

REVIEW...

Writer/Director L.Q. Jones' A BOY AND HIS DOG, is a fascinating,
frequently funny, and ultimately disturbing look at life in America
after a nuclear war.

In the future, after a nuclear war, a young man named Albert (Don
Johnson) and his dog, Blood, (voice of Tim McIntire), roam the wasteland
that is now Phoenix, Arizona, looking for non-contaminated canned
food and healthy women. Blood, who is telepathic, can find both
food and women with his hyper-sensitive nose. He also has all the
good lines. When Johnson uses bad grammar, Blood offers, "One
does not say 'ain't', Albert. Simply say, 'I'm not kidding'."
Later, when he is unable to find a female for Johnson, Blood suggests,
"I'd be delighted to tell you a suggestive story, if you think
it would help." As voiced by Tim McIntire, (who also did the
fun, folky/twangy Music for the film), Blood is a grouchy, superior
type who feels he may be getting the short end of the stick in his
partnership with Johnson.

The desolate, desert-like landscape that represents all that's left
of Phoenix, Arizona, which is buried under a thick layer of mud,
is well shot by Director of Photography, John Arthur Morrill. You
can practically taste the grit in your teeth.

When Johnson's desire for a female takes him underground, he encounters
a beautiful girl, played by Suzanne Benton ("That Cold Day
in the Park"). After some rigorous lovemaking, and despite
Blood's persuasive telepathic speeches, Johnson decides to go to
the underground city of Topeka, which exists nearby. In this strange
city, Johnson encounters graveyards, parks, churches, and a ruthless
Committee which runs everything, headed by Jason Robards ("All
the President's Men"). The fact that everybody wears "white
face" and rouge around here adds to the nightmare quality.
Director Jones, working from his own Script, based on the award-winning
novella by Harlan Ellison, delivers a bizarre yet somehow believable
post-nuclear war underground community.

Robard's explains that Johnson's fling with the girl was all part
of the Committee plan to get him underground, as he has been chosen
for a special purpose. In Robard's words, "We've been underground
for too long; our women can't get pregnant." Alvy Moore (who
also produced), as another Committee member, chimes in, "We
need a new man". With the aid of Benton and some of her friends,
Johnson manages to escape back up to the surface. Accompanied by
Benton, Johnson reunites with Blood. The end of the film is both
shocking and surprisingly logical.

Johnson ("Miami Vice"), in his early twenties at the time
of the film's release, delivers a strong, thoughtful performance.
It's interesting to see Johnson give such a mature performance,
this early in his career.